In toss-game structures in the general field of the present invention, a target is provided for receiving a tossed object. In basketball for example, arguably the best known of such target games, a horizontally oriented hoop is supported at an elevated height with respect to a playing surface for receiving a tossed ball. Numerous constructions are known for providing a horizontal hoop for basketball. In its original form, a bottomless basket was secured to the wall of a structure adjacent a playing surface. The upper end of the basket formed the horizontal hoop for receiving a round ball. The wall of the basket provided a useful channeling function to downwardly direct a received ball. A rim and net construction replaced the original basket, with the rim providing a horizontal hoop target and the net providing for downward channeling of a received ball.
A variety of structures are known for supporting a horizontal rim at an elevation to provide for a game of basketball. The rim is typically secured to a backboard that includes a vertically oriented, and planar, surface. For indoor play, the backboard is secured to the wall of a structure, such as a gymnasium for example. For outdoor play, a pole is embedded in the ground to provide for elevated support of the backboard adjacent to a playing surface. It is also known to provide a wheeled base suitably weighted for stable support of the backboard and pole. Such freestanding structures provide the advantage of portability over embedded backboard support poles.
Toss-game structures have also been adapted for use adjacent to swimming pools. U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,136 to Raba et al., for example, discloses a basketball structure adapted for use adjacent a swimming pool. The structure includes a horizontal basketball rim connected to a vertical planar surface of a backboard. Because the pool bottom is at a lower elevation than the poolside surface, the height at which the backboard must be supported from the poolside to position the horizontal rim sufficiently above the game participants is less than for basketball court construction. The Raba '136 structure includes a hollow base that may be filled with water or other suitable ballast to provide for a stable freestanding structure.
The backboard of the Raba '136 structure includes “wing” portions of the front side surface extending along its edges that are angled with respect to the major, central portion of the front side surface. All of the front side surfaces, including the wings, however, are planar surfaces. Furthermore, the central portion that is not angled occupies the majority of the front side surface. This provides for traditional basketball play in which a round ball is directed to the horizontal hoop by banking the ball off the backboard in addition to direct arcs of the ball from the participant to the hoop.
As described above, the poolside toss-game structure disclosed in Raba '136 is directed to a basketball type of toss-game in which a horizontal hoop is secured to a planar surface of a backboard for receiving a round ball. Raba '136 does not disclose or suggest a poolside structure in which the target element is not horizontally oriented or adapted for receipt of a round ball. Raba '136 also does not disclose or suggest a construction in which the target element is not secured to the backboard. As described above, the direct connection between the hoop and backboard in the manner disclosed in Raba '136 facilitates conventional basketball play in which the hoop may be targeted by banking shots off of the backboard.